Hot breath on my ear drew me from my nap. The world had a sleepy, silent quality to it as I pulled Doll tighter to me. I could tell she was half awake, but happy to still lay here. Trying not to move more than necessary, I gave her a kiss on the top of her nose.

Answering with a happy sigh, she ran a hoof along my collarbone before looking up and returned the kiss to my neck.

“Hi there,” she said through sleepy eyes.

We kissed again, this time her soft lips lingered on my skin after the kiss. Hooves and hands drifted across the other’s body with tender care. Slow pecks became one long kiss that never broke. Not some passioned frenzy, but a continuous, exploring contact.

Sliding a hand behind her head, I rolled onto my side, pinning her to the pillow with a kiss. Doll’s forelegs pulled my chest tight to hers, while her hind legs beckoned me to lay between them.

Instinct took over, and I followed her lead. Breaking the kiss, I met her heavy gaze as my hands wandered around her chest. Remembering the there were no breasts here, I let one hand drift down to where they were, while the other played with her neck and ear.

Little nibbles along my shoulder and up my neck were accompanied with a happy humm that made my ears burn red. Her legs locked around mine, pressing my hips into hers. The baser part of me wanted to take her right then, but I resisted. For now, I aiming myself to the side of the heat between her legs. Running my finger into her mane, I kissed her jaw, then her lips. Mirroring my hold on her, Doll held me tight to a passionate kiss.

Writhing in each other's grasp, we toyed with one another till I couldn’t resist her subtle pleas for me to enter her. Sliding a hand into the small of her back, I propped up her hips just a bit, letting me go into her to my full length with one slow movement.

A long hiss of pleasure escaping her as her back arched and a smile stretched ear to her. Again letting our eyes meet, I pulled myself half out, then let her legs pull me back in. Relaxing to let more of my weight rest on her, our lips met again with a playful kiss, while our hips found their own slow rhythm.

Sensual love play stretched on for the better part of an hour, before Doll’s whimpers told me she was near release. I’d been edging myself for a while, so my own climax was just a matter of letting it happen.

Pushing myself up, I watched Doll twist and moan as I gave her long even thrusts. When her face contorted and legs stiffened, I quickened my pace, sending me over the edge immediately.

Both our bodies shook with orgasm, but as Doll twitched and clung to me, green fire rolled across her coat, leaving behind something shiny and black. A moment later and I found myself balls deep in a bug.

An extremely cute bug, but definitely a bug.

“Um...” I really didn’t have words for this.

Doll looked at me in confusion, then down at herself. As expressionless as her new face was, I could feel terror wash over her. “Oh, no...” she whimpered.

Withdrawing myself from her, I sat next to her on the bed. I could tell she wanted to run and hide, ashamed of what I’d seen. Laying my hand on her side, I petted her shiny, albeit hard hide. “Are you okay?”

She stared at me for a moment, then took several long, even breaths. “You’re not scared? You don’t think I’m gross?”

I had to laugh. “No.” Scooting closer, I scooped her into my lap. She was small before, but now I could only call her tiny. “Griffons are scary. You’re adorable.”

“You don’t know what I am, do you?” She said, settling into my embrace.

“Just some kind of shapeshifting pony. Flutter ponies, sea ponies, bat ponies,” I paused to laugh at myself. Strawberry hated that term. “You ponies come in every flavor. I’ll read up on your tribe tomorrow.”

Doll jolted. “No!” Scrambling out of my lap, green fire rolled across her again, and she again looked like a scrawny earth pony. Pausing a moment, she collected her words. “I mean, you can’t tell anypony. Changelings... They’re not welcome in Canterlot.”

“Not welcome in the city?” Ponies shunning an entire race flew in the face of everything I’d experienced in my time here.

Hanging her head, Doll nodded. “I’d have to move, create a whole new Identity.”

“But why?”

“The hive, where most changelings live, it’s ruled by a queen. She’s not a good pony. She’s hurt a lot of ponies.”

“That’s why you’re on your own?”

Doll gave a sad nod. “There’s quite a few of us outside the hive.”

Running my hand across her cheek, I picked her chin up to look her in the eyes. “Your secret’s safe with me then.”

“Really?” Her eyes shined up at me. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

The little mare lunged forward and hugged me. “Thank you!”

“But...”

Pulling back from the hug, she gave me a little frown. “What?”

“I need you to be honest with me about something.” Resting my hand on her shoulders, I looked into her eyes.

“Okay,” she said with a solemn nod.

“Has someone been hurting you?”

“What?” Dolls said, her face scrunched up in confusion. “Why would you think that?”

Looking down at her hoof, I pointed at one of the sores.

“Oh.” Doll chuckled and squirmed a bit, looking embarrassed for some reason. “I was wondering why you were worried about me as soon as we met.” With a flash of green, she was the bug-pony again. “This is just how we look,” she said, holding up a perforated hoof.

Taking her hoof in hand, I looked it over. As strange as it was, it did look healthy.

When I let go of her, green fire returned Doll to the earth pony appearance, but this time it was a slower change. I could tell she was concentrating on the magic she was using.

“I don’t usually get enough food, so my transformations look a bit off,” she said, showing me a now spotless hoof. Stepping down from the bed to the floor, she let out a long sigh. “I... I haven't felt that good in a long time, but I should probably be going now. Thank you.”

“It’s what I’m here for,” I said, standing up. Looking to a clock, I saw it was actually an hour past when her appointment was supposed to end. “You can stay a little longer if you want, have a bit more soup.”

A bright laugh escaped Doll as she made her way to the door. “I’m more full than I’ve been in months. I couldn’t eat another thing.”

I frowned a bit at that, she hadn’t really eaten much. “Well, you’re welcome to schedule with me anytime,” I said, holding the door open for her.

She smiled and nodded. “See you around then.” With that, she turned and walked back to her whatever her regular life held.

A bit dazed, I stood there in the door for a while. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but I also had that euphoric buzz of a good workout or a good deed done. So all in all, I had to smile. Turning to go back inside, a note on my door caught my eye.

Seems I had a package waiting for me in the office.

Going back inside, I threw on my pants and sandals. I needed to spend some time in the gym today, both to work out and to draw clients, so I left my shirt behind as I headed off to see what had come in. Hopefully it was the hat I had ordered.

In the office, I found Ruby scribbling away at some bookkeeping. “How was was your appointment?” she asked, looking up from her work. “You look exhausted.”

“It was... Different, but good.”

Ruby’s expression faded to a worried look. “You know, all your clients rave about how you give them a hundred percent of yourself during the sessions. I appreciate that you’re that kind of stud, but maybe you should take it easy once in awhile. We can cut you back to just three gigs a week if you want. You’ll probably end up making the same bits.”

I had to smile at her concern. Walking over to the desk, I scratched the spot between her ears that she liked. “I really appreciate that, but I’m fine. It’s nothing a cup of coffee and a run won’t cure.”

Letting her ears hang limp, Ruby leaned into my scratching. “Okay, but let me know if you need your availability changed.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Pulling back my hand, I stepped around the counter to search through the incoming mail. “Have you seen my package?” I asked, shuffling through a stack of mail.

“I sure have,” Ruby said. I looked up just in time to see the grin spread across her face. “It’s a bit short, but the girth is right, and you use it well.”

Shaking my head, I couldn’t even muster a groan.

Ruby giggled like she’d just invented the dick joke, then pointed towards a basket I hadn’t seen. “It’s in there.”

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t my hat. The thing weighed a ton too: I almost dropped it picking it up. There was no proper postage on it either, just a note to send it to me from the palace.

“Question for you; hypothetical of course,” I said, sitting the package on the counter’s edge.

Pausing at whatever she was writing, Ruby's ears trained on me. "Oh?"

“If I ever get a client, who I think is being abused in their home life, what should I do?”

Ruby shifted in her seat, an expression of concern on her face as she looked up at me. “You think your client is a victim of domestic violence?"

"No, no," I said holding a hand up in protest. "Just, something she said made me realize I didn't know what the policy was." Not exactly the truth, but not a lie ether.

"If you even suspect abuse, you have to file a report after the session. It's very rare, but we probably see more than most ponies. Two, maybe three a year." Ruby closed her eyes, shaking her head with a sad expression. "Ponies come here to escape; to be the center of someone's world, if only for a few hours."

"And after the report is filed?" I asked.

"The Guard and Equestrian Mental Wellness get involved." Ruby took a breath, letting some of the sadness wash from her face. "They investigate quietly at first, then take action if needed. It's a very effective program, they've helped a lot a stallions, mares, and foals."

Picking up my mystery package, I stepped towards the door. "Good to know. Well, I’m going to go get that coffee, then hit the gym."

Ruby seemed in a funk as I left. I was going to have to do something nice for her tomorrow. Maybe I’d cook her some chocolate oatmeal cookies. Peeling open the package as I walked over to the gymnasium, I found three large books carefully wrapped inside. I was confused for a moment, but then I read the titles.

Introduction to Magic Theory

Enchanting for Non-Unicorns

Golems: a History and Theory

Holy shit! Someone had sent me books on magic! Peeling away the rest of the wrapping, I found a note with Luna’s seal on it.

“These books should provide you with the knowledge to get your aircraft working.”

Clutching the books to my chest, I looked around as if expecting someone to snatch them away. No one was of course. These were probably books right out of the public library. Opening one up, I looked to the back cover; sure enough a checkout pocket was glued to it. “Royal Canterlot Library,” it read.

So this had come from the library in the college. The campus was rather imposing, and made me feel more out of place than normal. My deliveries had occasionally taken me to the Dean’s office, but I’d never had the nerve to explore the campus.

I really wanted to go lock myself in my room and read all night, but I really needed to get my gym time in. I didn’t get paid if i didn’t get seen. Walking towards the gym, I spotted one of the studs flirting with a mare in the cafe that overlooked the gymnasium. There were a few that did that. Being charmers more than eye-candy, they knew how to play up their strengths.

Looking back down at the books in my arms, a random idea struck me. Walking up to the cafe, I took the most visible seat I could find.

“You need anything, Shane?” the barista asked.

“Cup of coffee, and that salad I like,” I said, giving Stone Grind a friendly wave. He’d been a stud twenty years ago, but took the manager spot at the cafe as soon as it became open; been here ever since.

Setting two of the books aside, I opened up, Introduction to Magic Theory.

Two cups of coffee, a salad, and some honeyed pastry later, and I was starting to understand the first chapter. Flipping back a few pages, I took a fourth look at bit about fluid application of will.

“Whatcha studying?” a mare asked beside me.

“Just teaching myself about magic.”

Looking up, I found a tall, leggy unicorn looking at my collection of books. Her ivory white coat and mane seemed to glow in the evening sun. Eyes of white-speckled blue were hard to look away from, but then so were her legs.

I’ve been here too long...

“You can work magic?” she asked.

Sliding back, I motioned for her to sit with me. “My world doesn't have any magic. But since I’m here now, I’d like to learn a bit.”

A surprised smile jumped to her face as took my offer to sit beside me. “So you’re teaching yourself?”

I nodded. “Trying to. This stuff is pretty thick though.”

“Still impressive,” she said, nudging the book with her magic to read the page I was on. “I’m Silver Light, by the way.”

“I’m Shane.” Letting my eyes drift again, I noticed her cutie mark was an open book with a piece of chalk sitting on it. “You’re a teacher?” I asked.

“Elementary school,” she said nodding with a smile. Turning the page, she pulled the book a bit closer. “How old is this?” Flipping to the front cover, she studied it for a moment before letting out a whistle. “This is eight issues out of date.”

I had to laugh as she sat the book down with a bewildered expression. “I wouldn’t know the difference,” I said, turning back to the page I had been on. “It’s all new to me. I still haven’t figured out what this is supposed to mean,” I said, pointing to a passage.

“Hmm...” Silver studded the page for a moment. “That’s just a loose idea about how the collective consciousness can alter the individual's ability to change the world around them. It’s not that important till you get to the advanced stuff. The current edition doesn't even mention Herd Mind’s Law.”

“Oh, that makes sense, oddly enough.” Sliding closer to Silver, I flipped the page back to where I had been. “Can you explain this to me?”

A smile played across Silver’s muzzle. “Soft body extension? That’s easy. Here, let me show you how I teach it.”